Against the Odds
by ICan'tThinkOfACleverUsername
Summary: We all come into the world blissfully unaware of the terrors out there. Once you grow up from being an innocent child, and find out just how cruel of a place the world is, you ache to be ignorant once more. That's how I feel anyway. I long to be a fool to reality. Never would I suffer through this unbearable pain that I have gotten to know well over the past year.
1. Prolouge

**_AN: So here is the start of the remake of my other uncompleted story, Comparisons and Differences. I hope to have better characterization, grammar, less plot holes, and just a better story in general._**

**_DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER. ANYTHING YOU RECOGNIZE BELONGS TO JK ROWLING._**

**Prologue**

Everyone dies eventually. It's just the natural circle of life, I guess. We all come into the world blissfully unaware of the terrors out there. Once you grow up from being an innocent child and find out just how cruel of a place the world is you ache to be ignorant once more. That's how I feel anyway. I long to be a fool to reality. Never would I suffer through this unbearable pain that I have gotten to know well over the past years.

My fingers tighten around the large bottle of firewhisky. I raise it up to my lips and take another swig from the brown bottle. It burns slightly as it goes down my throat, but I don't even take notice due to the huge hole in my heart. I keep thinking that I could just drink away my sorrows, but it still hasn't worked. The numbness that I felt previously has disappeared. Now the liquid seems to only make my mind conjure up ways things would have been if events had turned out differently, which isn't doing my conscious much justice. Why can't I just forget these horrid memories that plague my mind both day and night? I can't sleep due to awful nightmares and during the day flashbacks keep sneaking up into my mind. I wish they would just leave me be for one measly night.

A sudden wave of anger hits me and I take the half empty bottle in my hand and chuck it at the wall a few feet in front of me. I feel a sting on my cheek where a shard of glass had bounced back and scraped me. I slowly raise my hand and feel the cut on my face. It's deep and bleeding profusely. I try not to let the memories the sticky, red liquid reminds me of take over my mind. Then I pick up the tainted shard of glass. I wonder what it would feel like if I joined them. Let death take me and escape this hell on earth. It would be easy, just a slip of the wrist and it would just feel like falling asleep… No, I mustn't think of those thoughts, no matter how tempting they are. I would be letting myself down, not to mention my friends and family.

I wish that I had someone to console in. With my parents being long gone and James and Lily blown to bits, I didn't really have any family left. And I never had many friends, let alone any who survived the war or aren't in Azkaban. And Regulus… Why did he have to leave me alone? He promised me he would come back to me, but he lied. At this point, I felt a tears start to slip down my face, the salty water stinging the fresh cut. Why did he always have to lie to me?

_**AN- So here is the prologue. The first chapter should be up in a few days. Leave a review and give me your feedback on how this is turning out! **_

_**Until next time. -Laura**_


	2. Leaving for Hogwarts

**Chapter One: Leaving for Hogwarts**

"Make sure you stay out of trouble this year, James," Mum tells my older brother as we enter through the platform. "Your father and I don't want anymore of those owls that are constantly sent home with letters telling us that you've been misbehaving." Then Mum pulls him in for a tight hug that lasts forever.

A snort escapes my mouth before I can silence it. The idea of James Potter staying out of trouble is just hilarious to me. Why the hell would he stop now after pulling pranks like a mad man for the the past six years? It's just impossible.

My mother then turns to the boy standing next to my brother, Sirius Black. He has been living with us since the end of my fourth after he ran away from his home because he parents were terrible to him for not being a pretentious asshole to people who aren't of pure blood.

"Thank you for allowing me to stay another year, Mrs. Potter. I really appreciate it," Black said to my mum in his charming voice with that smile that seems to allow him wrap anyone around his finger and it looks like my mother fell for it ages ago.

"Oh, not a problem, Sirius! You are always welcome in the Potter family whenever it is needed. Now, I'm not your mother, but listen to the advice I gave my son and stay out of trouble." He was then pulled into a hug much like my brother was.

When she finally releases Sirius, she turns to me with an unsure expression on her barely wrinkled face. "Sophie, dear, please try to keep your grades up this year. Your father and I were rather displeased at your OWL results this summer. Don't slack off this year." She hesitates before giving me a quick hug around my unmoving body.

A scowl appears on my face after hearing the advice she gave me. My OWL's were fine! All passing except for one, which was Transfiguration. How ironic that my worst subject is the one my brother excels in.

My father then walks over behind me and puts his hand on my shoulder, "Don't listen to your mother, darling. You did wonderful on your testing. O's in Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Ancient Runes, and even in History of Magic. Even I have no idea how you pulled that last one off. Professor Binns is quite a joke, even when I went to Hogwarts he was. "

My parents and I have a difficult relationship. Mum and I have never really gotten along in all of my sixteen years of life. After my birth, all she hoped for was for me to be just like her, which was the exact opposite of what I turned out to be. I don't even look like her. The only feature I have of her's are my piercing, ice blue eyes. My black, messy locks come from my father along with my angular facial structure, compared to her heart shaped face, soft features, and light brown hair. I believe that she still resents me for never becoming that perfect little girl that she always wanted me to be. Now my father is a completely different story. Unlike my mother, he does not pick favorites and gets along fine with both of his children, though James a considerable amount more due to my uncooperative behavior. I remember that as a child, I would always love to play with my father. His crinkled eyes and always smiling face are in some of my best memories.

My brother, James, is a much more complicated thing to explain. As kids, the two of us were like two peas in a pod. You could never separate one from the other without a scene breaking loose. It was like this for years, but stopped when James went to Hogwarts. I vividly remember crying profusely when I first heard of what was going to happen. My brother was leaving and I wouldn't see him until Christmas. He promised me he would write often as he boarded the train, and I believed him. Then next few months I waited for a letter from James, but one never arrived. Just as I was about to give up hope, an owl came swooping into the house and dropped a letter on the table. Excitement filled me as I ripped it open, but it all stopped when I read it. It was James informing the family that he wouldn't be coming home until next summer and that he made some friends and was having a blast. I was so disappointed and heart broken. Here I was at home, all alone, and I get a letter basically saying how he was living it up at school, not a care about me anymore. I had been replaced, and that was only enforced during summer break when he went off with his friends and never held one conversation with me. I know it's a petty thing to be so upset over, but when James did this to me, he unknowingly changed and shaped me into who I am today. My brother constantly wonders what happened to the innocent little girl that he left behind, but I frankly don't care. He helped make me into the bitter and sadistic person that I am now. We don't get along now because I still resent him for it.

"Okay, all of you on the train now. It's about to take off," Mum tells us and right as she finishes the train's whistle blows. "Now, remember what I told you kids. Behave boys. And try not to slack off anymore, Sophie."

I roll my eyes slightly as I turn and board the train without a backwards glance at my family. The familiar smell of the leather seats and candy from the trolley fills my nostrils, causing a slight smile to come across my face as I enter an empty compartment and sit down on the seat nearest to the window. It was wiped right off my face when the glass door slid open and a group of boys entered.

"What the hell do you want?" I asked with a deep scowl on my face. Can't they ever leave me alone?

"Oh, not much," James said as he sat down across from me in a sloppy manner. "It's just that every other compartment is full."

Anger fills me as I hiss out my response, "So? Go find some first years to bother. I had my turn dealing with you four bastards over the summer."

The other three take a seat, Remus next to me and Pettigrew on his other side. Sirius opted to take the empty space next to James and throw his feet up next to him.

"Jeez, Sophie, watch the language. You swear more that Sirius on a bad day," my arrogant brother informs me with a stupid smirk on his face.

"Like I give a shit," I mutter bitterly. I then stomp out of the compartment with a huge frown on my face. Must my brother annoy the hell out of me every chance he gets? Apparently my anger distracted me so much that I literally run into someone.

"Hey, watch were you're going!" a boy shouts when we collide. We both hit each other so hard that we fell to the floor. "Just like that thing you call a brother. Never looking three feet in front of your face."

I glare across at the greasy haired boy, which I recognize instantly as Severus Snape, and snap back a response, "Well, it take two people to run into each other, Snape. Why don't you watch where you're going? And I am not my brother, therefore there is no need to place your childish quarrels on me." Then I stood up and wiped all of the dirt off of myself. I was already out of his sight when Snape was ready to respond.

_**AN- So, how was it? Fantastic I hope. Chapters should be coming out at a steady pace, but you never know. Drum line and school are quite time consuming, as for upcoming exams. Leave a review please! **_

_**Until next time. -Laura**_


	3. Train Ride

**Chapter Two: ****Train Ride**

Once I am out of Snape's sight, I start making my way down the train again looking for a decent group of people to sit with. Being a Slytherin for me has had both it's ups and downs. For example, half of them hated me for thinking that I was a filthy blood-traitor. The other houses though that I was next up to become a Death Eater since I didn't make it into their house. It was all rather stupid really, seeing as I was neither one nor the other. I try to keep myself safely in the between of the war that is brewing. If I refuse to choose a side, then no one will hopefully bother me. I dread the day when I shall be forced to pick though because I still have no idea which side I would take. Then again, it seems more as if I wouldn't know which group of people to betray. There is my family, who have somehow loved me all my life even though I never really accepted it, and my best mate, who has supported me through my hardships. There are a lot of ups to being a Slytherin House too. I never have to deal with or even speak with my brother since we are in opposite houses. Less stress for me. I also have the best friend a person could ask for.

"Sophie Potter!" a deep voice calls my name from down the hall. I look up from my heavy thoughts to see my best mate, Regulus Black, walking toward me. "I have been looking for you everywhere. I saved us a compartment for us in the back."

A smile appears on my face as I run over to Reg and give him a small hug. "Regulus, it's good to finally see you! And I also had a compartment until my brother and his friends invaded it. Bastards."

He chuckles and guides me down the hall toward the back of the train. "I wouldn't expect any less from our brothers. Now, how was your summer?"

"Terrible. James had all of his friends stay over for the entire break. I almost committed murder, Regulus," I stated with slight over exaggeration. I basically hid in my room like usual. What fun.

We then arrive at our compartment, which was, by some miracle, still empty. I plop down on a bench and release a huge sigh.

"I can't wait until we're back at Hogwarts," I muttered quietly.

Hopefully it would be another year of staying under the radar. Just one more year and James will be gone and I could continue my schooling and maybe go onto being a curse breaker like I always wanted as a child, but knowing my luck that will probably never happen.

"Yeah, me too." Reg agrees quietly.

Neither of us speak for a while. We both just sit there and savor the silence, something we never seem to enjoy at home. Now our home lives were both completely opposite. While my family was loud and too involved with each other, Regulus' was cold and never seemed to speak to one another unless they needed something. I find it funny how we both crave what the other has. We are so different from the other, but yet so alike at the same time. Maybe that's why we are so close. It's strange really.

Also, Regulus has a pretty bad family compared to my own. Most of them are big supporters of that freak Lord Voldemort. Some of his cousins are even in his leagues. It's good that he has managed to stay out of it as long as he has, but we both know that his parents will make him join with no say in it what so ever. They are going to basically sell his soul to the devil and he can't say no or he'll get murdered like anyone who has ever said no to him. It's a lose-lose situation.

"Hey, Reg?"

"Yeah?"

"Our lives suck." I state bluntly out of nowhere.

"You're just now figuring this out?" he asks in exasperation.

I shake my head, "No, I just thought that I would finally say it out loud."

He lets out a big sigh before speaking, "You're such a weird person, Soph."

"I hope you know I'm taking that as a complement," I say with a slight smirk.

"I wouldn't expect anything else," Regulus huffs before a large grin takes over his face.

"Why are you smiling at me like that?" I ask cautiously. This can't be good.

He is on the edge of his chair as he begins to explain to me his madness, "You know Stuart Craggy?"

"That jackass who tried to cup a feel on me third year? Then you full out punched him in the face repeatedly and was almost kicked off the quidditch team. Craggy then refused to let me on the team for the rest of my Hogwarts life. What about the bastard?" I ask as I sit up to look at him better.

"Oh, it's just that he transferred to Durmstrang and Higgs is now the new quidditch captain. Do you know what that means?"

I am overcome with immense joy and a rare smile takes over my face, "You don't mean... I can rejoin the quidditch team? This is the best news I've gotten all year! Oh, I can't wait to see the look on my brother's ugly face when he sees us beat him!"

Regulus gives me another grin and now our conversation is flowing at a steady pace. We basically don't shut up until we are almost at Hogwarts and have to quickly change into out robes.

"Ugh, I am starving!" my best mate whines as we make our way off the train.

"Merlin, I think we all are. We're almost there, so just shut it until after sorting," I mutter while swerving through the maze of students. "Let's go get a carriage before we end up sharing with a bunch of wankers."

He lets out a heavy sigh and clutches his stomach as it growls, "Okay, Soph. Let's go."

**AN- Sorry that it took longer than I though. I just don't know how I feel about this chapter. **

**Thanks for the reviews guys! Keep 'em coming!**

**Until next time! -Laura**


	4. The Feast

**Chapter Three: The Feast****  
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We arrive at the school in no time and then wait an unbearably long time for the sorting to finish. As usual, to pass the time, Regulus and I made bets on which house each first year would most likely belong to. Let's just say that my pocket will be heavy on my way back to the dormitory.

"So Sophie, I heard that Potter and his band of buffoons stayed at your house all summer. Then again, what else would you expect from an average blood traitor family, right Potter?" Evan Roiser, a Slytherin in my year who lives to torment me says from across the table.

I look over to my left angrily. Roiser gives me an intolerable smirk and I glare heavily at him. I know that I don't get along with my family, but that doesn't stop me from getting mad. My family constantly gets judged for not supporting some pure blood extremist. Blood prejudice had always infuriated me because it is so damn stupid. No one should be at fault for who their parents are no matter who they are.

"Well, Roiser, if I remember correctly, last year you had some... explicit activities with Peter Durang, the Hufflepuff prefect. Not to mention that he is a half-blood and doesn't support your ideals. Now, I would have that lovely conversation with you, but it seems even a mere blood traitor like myself would be to high up on the social latter for you," I reply back to the ignorant Slytherin, who is now beet red with embarrassment.

"Come on, let's not get into a fight on the first day back," Narcissa Black, a fellow Slytherin sixth year, says to attempt to diffuse the tension at the table. Let's just say that it didn't work.

Thankfully Dumbledore begins his speech sinice the sorting had finished before our conversation could continue. "Welcome back to another year everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your summer breaks. As always, Mr. Filtch, the caretaker, has extended the list of objects forbidden inside the castle. If anyone wishes to view the list, you may find it in his office. I also would like to inform the new students and remind some of the older students that the Forbidden Forest is off limits and anyone found wandering in there will receive the required punishment. Lastly, I would like to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for the year, Professor Joseph Hughes. Now, everyone, let's eat!" The headmaster then waves his hand and the most delicious food appears.

As I fill up my plate with the warm, delicious smelling food, I begin to think back to this summer. James had invited Remus, Sirius, and Peter over for the entire summer, though I later found out that Sirius had been disowned at the end of last summer, which explains why he had basically been living at our house ever since. They had a jolly time being rather loud and annoying throughout the days. Never did they cease to attempt to pull a prank on me, even though they often failed due to my keen sense of perception and my little hobby of eavesdropping. I met up with Regulus whenever he could sneak out and we would have a grand time hidding out in Diagon Ally or at some unnoticeable muggle shop. No doubt his mother would pop a blood vessel if she ever found out her perfect son was around muggles.

Honesty, it was quite boring, but one interesting thing that continued to reoccur were my strange conversations with Sirius Black in the mornings. He and I were both early risers and would have a few conversations about the weather or the news in the papers about the killings conducted by that Lord Voldemort. Surprisingly, he reminded me a lot of Regulus, but was more open about how he felt. I guess that was why the elder Black brother was in Gryffindor and not Slytherin. Sirius didn't give a damn about who he was going against or how it would effect him later on in life. Regulus, poor Regulus, was being pushed into the darkness and didn't have the heart to control it.

But don't get me wrong, both my brother and Sirius still fucking annoy the hell of if me.

"Sophie Potter, are you listening to me?"

I look up from my thought and my eyes land on a concerned Regulus. "I'm fine. My head is just in the clouds is all. What was it you wanted again?" I ask as I take a bit off my plate.

"Oh, nothing important really. Just talking about quidditch. Did you see the Tornado's new keeper? They are going to go right to the World Cup if the chasers stay on their game. Although, I don't know about the new beater. He seems like a bit of a tosser to me..." Reg continues to talk quidditch to me for the rest if the feast and I am absolutely fine with it. Whenever he would talk about the game his eyes would have a small spark lite up in his eyes and even a small smile would appear on his lips. Only very rarely would he ever show a true smile and it is one of the best sights to see.

When the feast is over, Dumbledore sends us to bed and I am dead tired. My excitement about finally being able to sleep in a few minutes is killed when a hand pulls me from the group of Slytherins and into an empty classroom. When I see who it is, I can't help but roll my eyes.

"What the hell do you want?" I hiss out to none other than my brother and his best mate, Sirius Black.

**AN- Well, short chapter, but at least it is an update. We are almost into the start if the plot and I am sure things will start rolling faster then. **

**Thanks to rockBallerina for the review to inspire me to actually update. Reviews are very welcome, so leave one before you go!**

**Until next time! -Laura**


	5. Family Arguments

**Chapter Four: Family Argument**

"What the hell do you want?"

My brother rolls his eyes at me with his little smirk, "Come on, Sophie. That's the first thing you have to say to your favorite brother?"

"You are my only brother and you are also, by default, my least favorite brother. I almost like Black better than you, which is saying a lot because he is pretty fucking annoying. Now, once again, what the bloody hell do you want? I am in no mood to deal with you. I am tired and was planning on having a nice night under my warm covers," I mutter bitterly as I glare at them.

"Well, I just wanted to see how you are doing. You know, brotherly love or something like that," James says a bit awkwardly.

This angered the hell out of me. Sixteen years I have been in his life and his is choosing now to become interested in my life? Where was this 'brotherly love' when I needed it? When he abandoned me? When I was sorted into Slytherin and everyone hated me?

"Brotherly love? Are you kidding me?" I scoff in amazement at the audacity of him.

A slightly confused expression appears upon James' face, "Um, no. I've just come to realize that I haven't talked to you all summer and we live in the same house. So how is little Soph doing?"

The furry was still building up, but I was keeping a lid on it for now, "You mean we haven't spoken in the past six years. Ever since you went to Hogwarts and left me alone."

James gives me a strange look, "I didn't leave you alone. What are you talking about? Don't be stupid."

"I am not stupid, James! It's you who is the wanker in the family!" I exclaim loudly.

"I beg to differ, little sister. All I wanted to is check up on you and you treat me like this!" he says back to me, also beginning to get mad.

I let out a small humorless chuckle in disbelief, "I'm treating you poorly? You are the twat who treats me like I don't even exist until a whopping five minutes ago!"

"I do not! I watch out for you on a daily basis and have always made sure to treat you nicely!"

I am seeing red at this point. The words I have been holding back for so long were finally flowing out like a dam breaking. Everything that I have been needing to say, but never having the will to do so, "Really? You don't recall going off to Hogwarts and not sending me a single letter all year? How we haven't had a real conversation since I was a little ten year old kid listening to how you would write everyday and come see me during Christmas break so I wouldn't miss you so much? Always told me that no matter what, you would be there for me? Well, you know what? I fucking don't remember any of that, you self absorbed bastard, because you didn't fucking do any of the shit that you promised you would do! I may be a bitter bitch for thinking it, but I am so far past the point of caring."

"Hey, calm down Sophie! You don't need to yell," Sirius, who had been silent so far during the entire conversation, says in his booming voice.

I turn to the Black and begin to take out a bit more of my rage out on him, "Shut the hell up! You're part of the reason that he did that. He was too busy being an ass with you and the other idiots that he didn't bother to give a damn about anyone else. I guess you can take part of the blame too then."

"Hey, don't yell at Sirius! This has nothing to do with him! I don't know why the hell you are so angry, but it's been going of forever. Just suck up whatever it is the pissed you off and deal with it. Quit acting like a whiny baby," James yells to defend his best mate.

"Shut the fuck up, James! Did you even hear what I said? Merlin, you are so dim. Do you even care? You know what? Forget it. It's not like you've been acting like my brother in ages, so why don't we just both do each other a favor and pretend like we aren't even related," I sneer as I turn around to leave.

"Wait! What do you mean by not caring? I _do_ care!" the deep voice of my brother says quickly before I leave.

I turn around and look over my shoulder at my brother. He has a look of desperation and slight hurt on his face, but I ignore it and continue with my last bit of words, "No you don't. If you cared, you would have wrote me at least one letter. You would have visited during the holiday like any normal student instead of skipping out to be with your friends who you are around twenty-four seven. But most of all, you should have been supportive of your little sister when she got sorted into Slytherin and hated by her entire house because she was a 'blood-traitor'. All I wanted was just a friend to talk to, James, but I was too much of a fool back then to see that you had replaced me as your best friend long ago. I hope you're happy, big brother."

And with my eyes stinging with tears and all my anger now gone, I storm out of the room and down to the dark, dreary dungeons to the common room. Quickly, I change into a pair of silky pajamas and plop down on my comfortable, fluffy bed. Then, for the first time in five years, I shed tears over my pompous and inconsiderate brother that, no matter how hard I tried not to, still care for and miss dearly.

**AN: My lovely readers, I am so sorry for late update. School is so stressful, but I have finally finished for the year and will hopefully be able to update sooner than now. Marching band will start soon and band camp can be such a bitch. **

**Thanks to those reviewers! I am eternally grateful! Keep it up, my lovelies. And I will most probably keep the story canon. **

**Until next time! -Laura**


	6. First Day Back

**Chapter Five: First Day Back**

**Monday, September 2, 1977**

The next morning I pull my tired form out of bed and grudgingly got dressed for the first day of classes. I slip on my knee length black skirt and tuck my slightly crinkled white blouse into it. Then I pull on my uncomfortable, black shoes onto my feet. Finally, I knot the silver and green tie around my neck and grab my robes to put in over myself. Right before I leave the room, I stick my wand into my pocket and grab my bag.

In the common room, I see Regulus leaning against the couch. He has an expression of annoyance on his face, but covers it up with a smile when he sees me, "Why are you always the last person out of bed? We missed half of breakfast!"

Of course he would be thinking about his stomach. I roll my eyes, "You could have left without me, Reg. I wouldn't have been upset of anything. Sorry about being so late though, I just had a little chat with James yesterday and it just brought back some bad stuff."

"Are you okay? I know how hard you brother can be," he asks me in concern before changing back to his annoyed face, "And I didn't want to leave you alone because Tiffany Fictros is standing right outside the common room. Merlin, I hoped that she would have forgotten about you by now."

I heave a heavy sigh, "Still? It's been three years! You would think that she would have given up by now!"

To clear up any confusion, Tiffany Fictros is a third year Ravenclaw who has been stalking me since she was a first year and I cursed some Gryffindors who were making her cry in the hallway. Ever since, she has been following me at every chance she gets and might have a crush on me. There is a rumor that she has a shrine devoted to my face in her dormitory. Man, she is creepy, especially with that weird smile she has on her face all of the time.

Regulus pulls me out of the common room and we walk quickly past the spot were my lesbian stalker was hiding. Thankfully, she didn't follow us. Not that we noticed at least. We enter the Great Hall almost unnoticed, except for a pair of brown eyes that were now watching my ever move, and take our seats at the Slytherin table. The conversation was quite boring and I didn't even pay attention to it. I just ate my scrambled eggs moodily.

Professor Slughorn came by with our timetables and tried to strike up a conversation with me about how I should come to his Slug Club party for a change this year. Usually, I pretend to be sick or busy until it's past, but I am starting to get the sense that he knows what I am doing. Merlin, I do not want to start going to those. The last one I went to was awful. Evan Roiser dumped the bloody punch bowl over my head and I cursed him right in front of the Minister of Magic. Slughorn was so mad at the both of us, I was in detention for an entire month.

I look at my classes and see that today I start out with A History of Magic, then Arithmancy right before lunch. After that is double Transfiguration. An all around crappy day. How lovely. Right as am about to ask Regulus what his classes are, I catch my brother's eye from the Gryffindor table directly across from me. A mixture of emotions are on his face, most of which I can read, like anger, annoyance, and sadness, but there are a few that I am not sure about, like grief and regret maybe. Before I can ponder this more, Reg shakes me.

"Soph? Are you listening? It's been two days and I'm getting the feeling that you have been spacing out a lot more than usual..." Regulus trails off. I start to feel a little bad. I have been ignoring my best mate ever since I came back to school.

"Sorry, but he keeps staring at me," I mutter quietly.

My friend understands me and then we compare our schedules. Regulus has Hebology, which is a class that I am absolutely rubbish at and am quite glad that I am allowed to drop this year (and the only one that I did drop), instead of Arithmancy, a required class to be Curse-Breaker. A class that I despise, but am actually quite good at. Other than that, the only other class we don't have together is Ancient Runes, since Regulus had decided to take the easy route in third year and sign up for Care of Magical Creatures and Divination, the latter was one he dropped.

"Off to History of Magic then?" I ask my best mate as we stand and grab our bags. He nods and we leave the Great Hall together. The classroom is on the rather close, on the first floor, so it was a short trek.

Binns is the same old bore that he always is, droning on and on in his monotonous voice. I have no idea how I managed to pass the OWL with an O, which is an enigma. Probably because I am such a history geek deep down. I used to love reading historical fiction as a child and I still do now. During the entire class period I take poor notes because I don't really pay much attention since me and Reg just pass note the whole time or I get distracted and doodle. Once this class was over, I head up to the seventh floor for Arithmancy, which was just review and honestly a bit easy. Not many people were in the class, only about ten students decided to stick with it. I was ecstatic when lunch came by, giving my brain a much needed break from numbers.

On my walk down to the common room to drop my books off, I ran into one of the last people that I expected wanted to talk to me. Sirius Black.

**AN: Sorry for the short, boring chapter, but I promise that it will get a lot more interesting from here. I just need to start to set up the setting and story before I could get it rolling. **

**Thanks for the reviews my dears! Quite appreciated on my part. I hope to see more soon. **

**Until next time! -Laura**


	7. Sirius Black

**Chapter Six: Sirius Black**

**Monday, September 2, 1977**

I attempt to walk past Sirius to my common room just down the hall, but do not succeed as he waves me down and walks beside me.

"Sophie, can I talk to you?"

"Black, what do you want? I have places to be and no time for this," I tell the slightly feminine looking male in front of me, though his usually perfect hair was oddly messy, like he had been running his large hands through the curly locks due to stress.

He grabs my arm and stops us from walking, "It won't take long, I promise. It's just that Prongs-I mean James-has been really depressed since yesterday and-"

I jerk my arm from his strong grasp and turn toward him, "Listen here, Black. II do not care if my brother is upset over what I said. I have been feeling that way long before Hogwarts. If James wants to talk to me, he can do it himself instead of sending his little lackey. Don't even think of asking me to apologize to that prat."

Sirius shakes his head, "No, you don't understand! I came to talk to you without James knowing."

"And?" I ask, raising an eyebrow and crossing my hand in front of my chest.

"If he ever found out about me talking to his baby sister to try and get her to apologize, he would kill me. I know James, and he can be an idiot at times, but he never thought that he was abandoning you like you believe. James always kept an eye on you from a distance. What you said to him really affected him, Sophie, even if you can't tell," Black said with probably the most serious expression that I have ever seen on his face. No pun intended.

I studied Sirius closely. His eyes were pleading with me and he was practically begging me to talk my brother out of his spout of sadness. I couldn't help but feel a tiny bit awful for doing what I did, thrusting the blame on my brother when it was really just my own petty grudges from years ago. At the same time I felt this sick satisfaction from my brother's reaction. He finally gets to know what it feels like.

"Sophie, I know that you and James aren't the best of siblings, but do you really want him to go though the pain that you experienced?" Sirius tries once more. A final push that nudges the guilt I attempted to bury deep within me.

Did I really wish that upon my elder brother? No, no one deserves that pain. I mean, look at what it did to me. As much as I don't want to, I have to go and talk to James. We should hash things out once and for all. Maybe the two of us should have had an intervention years ago, but my pride wouldn't allow me to admit defeat and take the blame for anything. Damn my stubbornness.

"You know, back before James went to Hogwarts, we were best friends. I guess that this is my own fault that we are completely against each other now," I say as I slid down the wall to the floor.

Sirius takes the seat next to me, "Really? He never mentioned that to me, though I did figure it out when you two hashed it out right in front of me."

"Sometimes I look at the what ifs and think about how different my life would have turned out. What if James came home on that holiday or took ten minutes just to write me with the owl I convinced Mum to get him, I wonder how I would have turned out. Would I even by in Slytherin? Would I have stayed on the quidditch team or tried as hard in my classes? Maybe I should thank James for being such a bastard to me because without that, I wouldn't have met Regulus or enjoyed some of the best moments in my life. I wouldn't be _me_."

"You can either think of all the what if's in the world, Sophie, or you can just embrace what you already have. What if I was in Slytherin like the rest of my scum family? No offense to you, of course. Frankly, I don't give a flying shit. Gryffindor is who I am, and, thanks to your brother, my life has never been better," Black tells me. Who would have though that I would be having these conversations with my best friend's brother and brother's best mate? "I guess we can both thank your bastard brother."

I can't help but to let out a small chuckle, "Sirius, I feel like our lives got switched the moment my brother stepped on the train to Hogwarts."

"Is that a bad thing?" he asks me, a curious look on his face, like he has never thought of that before.

I purse my lips in thought for a moment before my answer, "I have no idea."

* * *

><p>"Hey, Longbottom, wait up!" I call as I reach the portrait of the Fat Lady.<p>

The Gryffindor boy who was just about to enter his common room stops and looks at me, then makes a face and continues into the room. I am almost positive that Longbottom would have slammed the portrait in my face if I didn't grab his arm.

"Please remove your slimy hands from my forearm, Potter," Frank sneers at while shrugging me off.

I roll my eyes at his attitude, "Just send my brother down, will you? I need to talk to him."

He gives a sigh, "Fine, but if he doesn't come out of his mopey mood to walk down here, it's not my fault."

It's five minutes of watching a few first years to run quickly in terror of my Slytherin self before I see James being pushed out of the red common room by Sirius with an annoyed grunt.

**AN- Once again, I am dearly sorry for falling off the face of the earth. My life is terribly busy with my senior year in high school, marching band, and family. I'll try to update soon, but I am sad to say that I cannot guarantee anything. **

**Thanks for all the follows/favorite/reviews! It really inspires me to fit some time in for writing, though not often as I should, and makes me feel happy. Keep at it and review!**

**Until next time! -Laura**


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